samurai nomads
by Ulva
Summary: Information. To know this or know that. It could mean life or dead. Expectedly to a ninja during a ware. To know this, or know that. But who knows? Who holds the information? “Hanachi!”--- OC, changing ratings. rated T for language. R
1. Information

**well.. here we go.**

**warning: oc's**

**and I excuse my bad english**

**disclaimer: I opviusly not owns Naruto or anything belonging to the series**

"speak!" normal speaking

_"speak!" _telepathic comunication

* * *

_Information._

_To know this or know that._

_It could mean life or dead._

_Expectedly to a ninja during a war._

_To know this, or know that._

_But who knows? Who holds the information??_

"Hanachi!"

The whole council almost jumped in shock, when the name was mentioned, after almost ten minutes of total silence. But the dark-haired jounin casually continued:

"If they don't know, no one does!"

A big redhead nodded in agreement

"hai! They have ears and eyes everywhere! You can barely sneeze without their knowledge!"

Another council member spoke up:

"So what! They might be aware! But even then, how do we reach them?"

Now every one seemed to have something to add, at the same time.

"They're everywhere and nowhere!"

"They're nomads, remember!"

"If they don't want our appearance around them, they'll simply move before we can reach them!"

"They're outlaws, responding to no one!"

"They will not just tell us what we want to know!"

"Jiraiya-sama used them for years!!"

"But no one knows his contacts!!"

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!! CAN THEY HELP US?! YES OR NO?!"

A long silence followed, then a little grey man stuttered:

"H-hai Tsu-Tsunade-sama!"

The blond Hokage stood up from her chair.

"I remember them! There was an alliance?"

"Hai Hokage-sama, but they called it off… shortly before the fox-incident!"

"An alliance that lasted for more than seventy years and now there are no contact at all! How comes? You said Jiraiya used them?"

"Hai, Tsunade-hime! The alliance was formed shortly after the war; we got more young students and information, they got a place to meet and protection during their horse training! But when they got better political stands than this village they saw the alliance as useless and…"

"CALLED IT OFF, YEAH, YEAH! You said Jiraiya had arrangements with them!"

"H-Hai Hokage-hime! It seems Jiraiya-sama had some personal friends among their lines, who shared information with him! But we have no clue who these contacts are!"

"Well if I'm right, they have always comes together once a year! WHERE AND WHEN!!"

"Thr-three days from now in the land of rivers! But it'll be way too dangeru..."

"We must reach them there! Shizune!! I want to see the files on every Hanachi-kid who ever studied in Konoha!! YOU'RE ALL DISMISED!!"

The counsel almost tripped over each other's feet to get out.

**--The day after: the hokage's office--**

"This is a drag! It's the same story for all of them! They came here; studied in the academy and then… failed the genin examination!!"

The hokage's black-haired assistant gasped:

"All of them, but Tsunade-sama that can't be!! There… there must have been… hundreds!!"

"Eight!"

"NANI!!"

"Out of all those brats all except eight failed, like they putted an honour into it!"

"What! But… but what about those eight?!"

"Oh, they stayed and became jounin, some even anbu! But for most part it's over fifty years ago, all dead by now. I looked it up! All seven names are engraved at the memorial!"

"Seven?! But you said there was eight?!"

"Hai, she is proberly still alive! Take a look!"

Tsunade handed her assistant a single file! The picture showed a brown-skinned ten years old, she stood with her head bowed so her raven lion mane of hair felled down and hid the upper part of her face. A team picture, she had her eyes closed! But it was the boy by her side that took Shizune's attention.

"UCHIHA ITACHI!!"

The hokage nodded:

"They were team-mates, apparently... Hanachi Azumi, she became genin, nine years old, chunin the year after second try! Were chunin almost two years, until she was badly hurt during a fight! After that she returned to her clan! Shizune I want to see all there is on this girl"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!"

**--A Hanachi camp in the sky country--**

"ATJOOOU!!"

__

"Bless you! Seems someone has a word about you! Been a bad girl? Huh, Azumi-imoutochan?"

Her fingers stopped their path over his body.

__

"Are you trying to sneak into my mind again, Onii-san?"

She could clearly feel his laughter in her hands as she slowly dragged them down his back, Azumi moved backwards so she reach her stepbrothers butt, she carefully started to move her hands in big circles over it. He sighed pleasantly:

__

"mmm this is good! you're the best Imouto-chan! I think there must be magic in those hands of yours!"

He paused thoughtfully before stating:

__

"You know, I wouldn't have to sneak in, if you just told me what's bothering you!"

Azumi moved back once more starting to work on her brothers tights.

__

"It's no good for you to know everything, Jojin! Besides it's really nothing!"

"Are you two bickering again? Nii-san! Stop bothering my sister, Nee-chan! Get done will you! We're leaving in an hour!"

A double voice responded quickly:

"Hai! Imouto-sama!!"

__

"Jeez! Who putted a stick up her ass?"

"Karai-neesan!! I heard that!!"

Azumi got up from her kneeling posture, just to let herself fall down sitting.

"Ok! I'm done!"

Turning to her sister:

__

"Why an hour more, if we don't leave soon we will have to ride non-stop!.. Karai do you hear me, why are you pointing… oh!"

Jojin smirked as he got up.

__

"Hmm… Seems our leader's libido gets first priority, huh!"

Azumi and Karai nodded, Azumi raised an eyebrow.

__

"Wasn't she with Kauro-kun?"

Karai sighed and Jojin shook his head.

__

"last week Imouto-chan! And you know how it is, she almost sees the males in the pack as her personal harem!"

He stretched his body and walked away.

"urrmmm! _I'll go find Yura-chan! See ya , double-face_!"

Karai glared knifes at his back.

"Doubleface like he could even see a resembles!!"

Azumi sighed as everyone turned to see what caused the yelling.

__

"Karai would you mind keeping your voice down!"

Not that she was wrong, but it always draw attention and In the Hanachi-clan where the most spoken language was telepathy it was the double. And however they were not identical twins for nothing.

__

"Well!"

Azumi got up and turned to her sister.

"_We better help out, an hour isn't that much! And we haven't had a real break for way too long! Stupid ninja morons!!"_

"You said it! Why do they have to hang on our buts? Not like they're getting anything from it! This sucks! I'm starving!"

"Stop complaining! We're all hungry!"

Azumi's harsh voice fated, and she pressed a hand against her growling stomach. The tribe had used the last week moving from or fighting ninja-squads, that simply seemed to continue showing up and that held them from hunting and gathering and drying herbs, vegetables and fruits. Which meant they where running out of food fast, way too fast. And that was not all. Their constant moving also caused the horses to starve because of the lack of time to eat. If it continued much longer it sickness would break out, among humans as well as horses.

__

'luckily they won't reach us in the dale'

"no, none of them are that stupid!"

"Karai! I would be very grateful, if you would keep out of my mind!"

"Sorry!"

Why didn't she sounded sorry?

Their conversation ended as they reached the rest of the tripe, they remained silent. No one mentioned the fact that the rations they were given barely fitted a meal, and definitely not rations for a two day long ride.

* * *

R&R


	2. Pictures of the past

**The Hokages office: Konoha.**

The anbu quietly entered the office, but even so the Hokage noticed him immediately.

"You're late!!"

The Anbu shrugged and stepped in, leaning against the wall he finally seemed to turn attention to her.

"You wanted to see me Tsunade… Sama?"

If anyone ever had called, Senju Tsunade, fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, a calm and patient woman… They clearly didn't know her.

She shrieked off anger and threw the first thing she could get her hands on (sake bottle) after the anbu and of course: he seized it. Looking almost bored (well as much as an anbu can look anything) he pushed his mask aside and took a small sip:

"Delicious"

He stated flatly

"But you should try and import from Kirigakure, their sa…"

He ducked as another object (paperweight) was thrown at him.

"…ke is simply unbeatable!"

Tsunade was beyond furious, how dared this damned blondie come here, being three hours late, question her authority and on top of that show such an attitude? She had had a busy day and this brat was working on her very last nerve.

"SHOUT UP YOU LOUSY PRAT!!! I GOT A MISION FOR YOU, SO LISTEN UP!!!"

Finally she seem to get his attention, at least he came over to the table and placed the sake bottle in front of her. After emptying it completely the fifth seemed somewhat calmed down.

"It's not an anbu mission, you are to deliver this to one of our jonin"

She handed him one scroll then another.

"The details are on this one! NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!"

He left as quietly as he came, halfway down the stairs he opened the order scroll and a smirk creped over his face:

'So we're calling home the expelled daughter'

**The Hanachi clans' dale: the river country**

Azumi slowly rubbed her sore behind and thighs, could this be any worse? Of course it could, it had been, many times, they just seemed so far gone right now. She sat down under a tree to work on her legs.

'_Guess this is as good as it's gonna be, geez I should be used by now, but two full days with no night brakes'_

She looked down at the dale, most of the clan was busy getting ready for the grand celebration tonight. It had been damn tough to get out of it, but she needed a little time to herself right now. She reached down in the back she was carrying and draw out a package of food. (Tartar meat, dried herbs, fruits, and vegetables)

'Thanks Kami-sama the other tribes doesn't mind sharing'

And an old book, or rather a photo album.

She carefully looked out that no one was around. She saw no one, so she opened the album and began her meal.

The first pictures where from before she was old enough to follow her tribe around the world, she smiled as she went on past her sixth year. The pictures changed, the dale and her grandpa's resident were replaced by Konoha's tall buildings. She slowed down and gave herself time to study each picture.

The first pictured herself and the other Hanachi kids, 23 one from each tribe in front of the gates of Konoha. It was from the day they arrived, she had been six years old and scared to dead. Tired, hungry, cold and alone among strangers. So had the others, but even as they stood there covered in sweat and dirt from the travel. Even how a pathetic sight they made, she clearly saw how pride and strength in their faces, along with an ever lasting will for life and spite against these strangers who disturbed their lifestyle. But also she admitted, you could easily tell those with foreigner-blood from the pure-blooded Hanachi kids. Not because they seemed left out of the kraut, none of these kids knew each other very well, but because of the way they looked.

The pure Hanachis were tall, lean and sinewy; they were blond, dark-skinned and had those unique blue Hanachi-eyes. Those with foreigner parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents were clearly a little shorter and had a little more fat. Some of them had lighter skin or a different hair colour, or even… different eyes.

She found herself in the left side of the group, turned away from the photograph. Jeez, she had hated the blitz. She still did, but not as badly as before.

Her mind went back to this the first day. After the photo shoot, they had been split up in groups of two or three who would share apartments with some older kids from the clan.

Her arrival that sure was a time of memories, but… it wasn't time for that now, she was here for other reasons, or other memories at least… memories of him, she turned a couple of pages till she found it… the first picture of Uchiha Itachi. Had the photographer been psychic? Or was it just a coincidence that he had placed her there? Whatever it was it sure made this picture special, at least to her. She formed a couple of hand seal and felt how sleep seized her and led her away: away to a dream of the past:

"You there move to the other side and stop trying to hide behind the adults"

She moved, grumbling under her breath.

"Idiot photographer"

She did her best to look as far away from the camera as possible, sulking she waited for the old man to begin his stupid line:

'Say cheese everyone'

But it was another voice that reached her ears, a voice shaking from laughter.

"Do you two know what happens to naughty brats, who won't smile on their photos?"

The voice paused and she was grabbed by a strong arm and dragged closer to this someone behind her. The laughing voice spoke again:

"They're forced"

Her whole body trembled as these merciless fingers stroke the soft skin of her stomach and forced laughter out of her, so everything seemed to disappear. 

The dream continued and led her to memories she thought long forgotten, some were dim others clear as the day, some warmed her heart others were close to brake it. Itachis embarrassed apology for his cousin behaviour

"Dad is busy so Obito took me here... He wasn't supposed to do that... I'm sorry" 

Walking to school with the two boys every day, sitting side by side working and learning in class, the loss of and memorial for Obito, the graduation from the academy where Maku-kun had joined them on the squad lead by Hizashi-sensei, chunin exams, the three of the one by one becoming jonin, countless missions and visits at the teahouse with her team, Visits in the hospital when someone was hurt and the goodbye before leaving Konoha for the last time.

Even in her dream she felt the tears rolling down her face, Itachi had been so much to her, friend, school pal and team maid.

The memories kept racing, writing letters from the hospital, meetings whenever possible, Itachi seeking her out after the Uchiha massacre:

She had been almost unable to move when he suddenly showed up near the camp, but somehow she was able to get on her feet and go see him. What a shock it had been. What had happened to the strong shinobi she once knew; now he was broken. Broken by the big weight he had taken on his shoulders. 

He grabbed her shoulders, stared into her eyes and the world went pitch-black.

_It was a weird dream world with opposite colours, but she really didn't take notice. What she saw was scene that played in front of her. Itachi who was facing the hokage, the two elders and a man she never seen before, but briefly knew as Danzo. _

_What surprised her most was: it wasn't the Hokage who spoke, it was the female elder:_

"_Do you understand your mission?"_

_An almost invisible was the only respond from the anbu-clad shinobi, the elder male continued_

"_Good, you're dismissed" _

_As she past through the illusion she saw how Itathi had picked up information about traitorous plan to take over Konoha, a complot formed by his own clan, how he had gotten the final order and wiped out the whole clan, only leaving his younger brother alive. And at last she saw him lie to Sasuke to make sure, the clan would be revenged._

_She was in shock, the third hokage, a man she had learned to respect with her entire being, had ordered the murder of a whole clan, marked one of the most loyal ninjas as a traitor and send this shinobi on the run; and then washed his hands, like it was nothing._ But nothing as shocking as the vision she woke up to, Uthiha Itachi was crying like if his heart was to break, this was the first, last and only time ever she saw her stoic friend sobbing like a child. And however vulnerable it made her feel, there was only one thing she could do: hold him and hope her presence somehow would comfort him. So when the tears finally stopped and he pulled her closer and he pressed his lips against her neck, she didn't stop him. She simply clung to him and followed him into oblivions. 

But you can only forget reality for so long and the reality was that Azumi was furious 

"…_not only is the actions taken towards the Uchiha Rioting is not only something of the most evil, stupid, despicable, heartless, cynical thing I ever seen, but also the most unprofessional. It was simply too incompetent we learned how to deal with a situation like this in history- and conspiracy class… IN THE ACADEMY!!!_ " 

She went back and forth while she spat venom in her telepathy language, which Itachi… was happily unable to hear. Her steps quickened as she went over the correct procedure for such situations. With small comments the Hokage was supposed to make it clear to the Uchiha leaders that he knew about the complot and had taken precautions. If that didn't work, it was taking down the leaders and make sure everyone in the village knew why it had been necessary. Not killing the whole clan and make it look like a traitors doing. It was completely unnecessary and a waste of resources.

"_And for the case of Sasuke…"_

Itachi evidently meant she had, had enough time to cool off, because he caught her glances and said:

"I need your help!"

She stopped her path and tried to catch his thoughts.

"To save Konoha! From… The sunrise?"

He nodded

"And a personal favour!"

He gesticulated to her, that she should read the rest out of his mind.

She nodded and focused her 'inner senses' on her friend. It was complicated yet simple, basically he needed her to gain knowledge about that Akatsuki thing and receive and save information he gathered. So that she someday when it was needed could deliver it to the Hokage.

"But… I'm not exactly welcome in Konoha these days!"

He just shrugged.

"Believe me they'll will be desperate for your help soon enough"

How could he take it that easy? Azumis anger reached the boiling point once again.

"Uthiha Itachi!! I committed murderer, I killed who knows how many leaf village people back then!! Honestly!! That I should ever be welcomed there is about as likely as that you would!!!"

As always Itachi just waited for her to come down.

"I'm sure of it Azumi-chan! And even if it's impossible to get in, you'll find some one who'll help you, Makuro would just love it!"

What was with this guy, one moment she was furious, the next she found herself laughing by the taught of Maku-kuns eagerness to annoy the Konoha counsel.

"Yeah, helping two Konoha-traitors saving the village! That's just water to his mill?" 

Itachi laughed silently and for a moment Azumi wondered if she had ever heard him laugh. She shook her head 

'No never'

Then recalled:

"And the favour you needed?"

His face went blank and his eyes ice-cold, then he shrugged.

"What I couldn't!"

She shivered from the cold wind of emotions that came from him.

"I will if you keep your word to me"

Again he just shrugged.

"Till my death!"

She nodded and repeated the wow.

Finally she went on trough the last seven years of her dream. Gathering information, receiving letters and their rare meetings, all kept strictly secret.

Yes, Itachi had for sure meant a lot to her… friend, school pal, team maid, confidential, conspirator, lover…

At last only one memory was left: The dream she had on day of Itachi's dead.

They had stopped in a small glade in the forest, because of ninja-problem they was low on rest... so all, except a few people keeping watch... was sound asleep or close to be so. Azumi sat close to a pyre, her eyes were heavy. 

_But a sound called her back to her senses and she immediately knew that something was wrong. The pyre was gone and she was alone in the camp. Well almost alone... someone was approaching her, casually silent: the way only Shinobi moved. Then she saw him, it was like the trees moved to make way for the young man. Never had Itachi seemed stronger she found herself completely breath taken. Not only did he look strong, he also seemed so happy. Like he finally had gotten rid of the heavy burden he'd carried for years. Then he reached her. He took her hand and caressed it gently, their glances met and locked as he slowly brought her hand to his lips. It wasn't a gentle kiss, small flames licked out from hi mouth and burn marked her forever. But trough the pain that tore her dream apart and forced her back to reality. She could have sworn she heard his voice_

"_Goodbye Azumi!"_

She was pretty dizzy when she woke up, but her head was also strangely clear. As she slowly made her way down to her clan, she knew exactly what to do. She had held the memorial for her friend now she had to keep the promises she'd made.


End file.
